An incident from Bihar's Sonepur has left an entire family shattered, turning post-wedding celebrations into mourning within days.
The incident took place at Baijalpur Ghat in Saran district, where family members had gathered to perform the Chauthari ritual just four days after a wedding in the house. According to tradition, relatives take a dip in the Ganga after the bride's marriage, considering it auspicious.
However, what began as a religious ritual quickly turned tragic. While bathing in the river, children reportedly slipped into deep water, triggering panic. In the chaos, four members of the same family were swept away by strong currents.
Locals and divers rushed to the spot after hearing cries for help, but by then, it was too late.
Among those dead are Babita Devi (42), wife of Janardan Singh, a resident of Baijalpur, and Gudiya Devi (40), wife of Ravi Kumar from Bakhtiyarpur in Patna district. The search is still underway for two missing children, a 16-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy, who are feared drowned in the Gandak river.
Janardan Singh's daughter was married just four days ago, and the family had come to the riverbank as part of the customary ritual, according to officials.
Two women were pulled out of the water by locals and taken to Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
Police and SDRF teams have launched a search operation to locate the missing children. Sonepur Station House Officer (SHO) Dilip Kumar told NDTV that efforts are ongoing in the Gandak river, and all four victims belong to the same family.
The tragedy has plunged the household into deep grief-where wedding celebrations had just concluded, preparations are now underway for multiple funerals.
With Inputs From Kaushal Kishor Pathak
